A Wagga councillor has raised the prospect of an extraordinary council meeting following a "disappointing" vote to delay blue green algae treatment for Lake Albert.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Monday night the council knocked back a call to start a 12-month treatment plan of BGA with emerging product Waterzyme in the lake pending further financial analysis.
Waterzyme, an emerging product that has been developed by a partnership between a Mildura-based innovator and the University of Newcastle.
When added to water, its natural components bind to the blue green algae (cyanobacteria), causing it to clump and sink to the bottom of the water within just days, starving the bacteria of light and leads to its destruction.
Alleviating environmental concerns, the company behind the product said it does not have this effect on beneficial organisms within the water as it specifically targets BGA.
Council documents noted a recent test of the product at the Collingullie treatment ponds has "achieved some positive results", noting the BGA counts were more than 10 times the highest ever reading in Lake Albert.
While Waterzyme's initial offer to council was based on commercial terms, subsequent discussions have seen the company offer a significant reduced rate for the first 12 months.
The company recently extended this offer to a two-year period, and councillors weighed up both options on Monday night, before opting to defer, raising concerns that once starting treatment, it would need to be ongoing - and financially viable.
Deputy mayor Amelia Parkins told the council it as a fundamental obligation to properly consider the budget and the implications of committing to the project.
"I think Waterzyme looks very promising and by all accounts does very positive things to the ecosystem of the lake," Cr Parkins siad.
"Hopefully in the long term it will reduce [BGA] outbreaks into the future and the cost of it will hopefully go down in the future.
"But before we can commit to one or two year trials, we need to consider very carefully where the money is coming from in the short and long term."
Mayor Dallas Tout also noted the long-term implications.
"If we do this, there is the expectation that it will never cease," Cr Tout said.
He said council is obliged to offer "hollistic... budget deliberations."
But Cr Mick Henderson - who is also commodore of Wagga Boat Club on the lake's shores - wants action now.
"I believe for the full benefit of the trial, it needs to be started now," he said.
Cr Henderson said over the past five years the lake has been shut for extended periods - sometimes months - over the summer due to blue green algal blooms and low water levels, causing a significant financial impact to the community.
"Last year the lake was closed for a total 81 days, nearly three months, and since 2018 the lake has been close 453 days over summer due to BGA," he said.
However, this is excluding the 2020 summer where the lake was shut for the entire period due to low water levels.
This week councillors received a report that estimated a pipeline to help combat low lake water levels and a proposed new BGA treatment plan could cost the council in the order of $1 million per year on an ongoing basis - not including construction or installation costs.
The report - aimed at clarifying costs for the 2024/2025 budget - also provided information on the budget implications of continuing the pipeline, including its operation, as well as trialling the BGA treatment in the lake.
Meanwhile, the pipeline from the river to the lake is currently in the design phase.
Cr Henderson and Wagga Sailing Club chair Garry Williams both pointed out this week that the lake brings in much more revenue to the town than the estimated ongoing cost of both projects.
A 2019 council report titled Submission for the maintenance of Lake Albert Water Levels estimated maintaining water levels at the lake could result in an extra $43 million to the local economy.
Cr Henderson said the lake has a significant economic benefit on the town, bringing people who fill up accommodation venues, buy food and fuel.
He said the lake attracts a wide range of events like fishing competitions, the Lake Run and Ride fun run, and the New Year's Eve fireworks display, as well as being a place for social outings like walks around the lake.
"Once the lake closes, people can't come down here to fish... so it affects the whole community," Cr Henderson said.
On Monday Mr Williams told councillors it would be ridiculous if the town's main street was closed for extended periods.
"Can you imagine closing the main street... every year, and not expect it to affect the local economy and tourism," he said.
Mr Williams said lake BGA levels are so bad at present he wouldn't be surprised if the lake is "closed in the coming weeks" and asked the council to find the funding to fix the problem "as soon as possible."
However, the majority of councillors opted to wait until more budgetary analysis can take place early next year.
Council voted 6-1 to note the report into BGA treatment in the lake and agreed to defer consideration of funding until the February 2024 councillor budget workshop, in conjunction with other budget considerations.
Cr Richard Foley voted against the motion, while Cr Henderson was absent and did not vote due to a conflict of interest.